Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques are well known processes for forming thin films on substrates. Such chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques include atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD), low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). These techniques can form thin films including silicon dioxide (SiO2), polysilicon (Si) and silicon nitride (SiN) on substrates. Such substrates used in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques include integrated circuits, liquid crystal displays (LCD) and solar cells.
Techniques for improving the formation of a thin film on a substrate during manufacturing are very beneficial as these are an intrinsic part of the standard device fabrication process. Such techniques may improve overall output yield, decreasing overall manufacturing time and increasing the available product yield. In the case of a solar cell, these techniques can include improving the formation of anti-reflective coatings (ARC) including silicon nitride film on silicon substrates. They can also significantly improve the total solar cell efficiency.